Ford has thrown another blow at Chevy in the never-ending Mustang versus Camaro war. The Blue Oval has finally shared engine specs on the refreshed 2018 Mustang lineup, and we’d say it’s definitely not a coincidence that the Stang’s updated 5.0-liter V-8’s new output of 460 horsepower (25 more than before) beats the Chevrolet Camaro SS’s 6.2-liter V-8 by 5 horsepower. The EcoBoost Mustang—now the only other engine choice with the base V-6 gone to pasture—also gets an update, resulting in an additional 30 lb-ft of torque, although horsepower remains unchanged at 310.
The 2018 Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 gets its extra power and an additional 20 lb-ft of torque (for a total of 420 lb-ft, 35 less than the Camaro SS) from myriad updates including a fuel-delivery system that employs both direct and port injection, a higher redline, and a new variable exhaust. A six-speed manual is still available, but the big story is the addition of a 10-speed automatic transmission—co-developed with General Motors, incidentally—that is said to improve acceleration considerably.
Ford claims that the 2018 Mustang GT with this automatic will run to 60 mph in less than four seconds, which would be a fairly significant drop from the quickest time we’ve measured in a Mustang GT so far, a manual example that hit the milestone in 4.3 seconds. Ford is certainly chasing after Chevy here, too; we measured a Camaro SS automatic hitting 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
The 2018 Mustang EcoBoost, with its turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four that now makes 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, also is offered with the new 10-speed. Ford says the torquier engine and quicker-shifting automatic will get the turbo Stang to 60 mph in less than five seconds; we tested an EcoBoost automatic at 5.2 seconds a few years back. (And a 335-hp Camaro V-6 ran to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds in our testing.)
Ford also is adding a new driving mode called Drag Strip that is said to enhance acceleration. The new mode, which is bundled with the Performance package, is available with automatic and manual transmissions alike. With an automatic, the mode minimizes the loss of engine torque to the wheels between shifts; with the stick shift, Drag Strip automatically engages launch control. Also, if the car is equipped with the new MagneRide suspension, the mode softens the front dampers and stiffens the rears to improve weight transfer.
Pricing for the 2018 Mustang is now live, as Ford launches the build-your-own site in advance of the updated Stang going on sale in October. We look forward to testing Ford’s performance claims as soon as we get our hands on the updated Mustang and take it to the track.
Source: http://blog.caranddriver.com/power-play-2018-ford-mustang-gt-gets-25-hp-bump-ecoboost-has-more-torque/
